Cycle.



Patented Oct. 28, |902.

F. S. WILLDUGHBY.

C Y C L E.

(Application filed Jan. 21, 1902.)

`(No Model.)

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Nrrno STATES PATENT FFICE.

FRANK STANLEY WILLOUGHBY, OF MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.

CYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,165, dated October28, 1902.

Application led January 2l, 1902. Serial No. 90,621. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, FRANK STANLEY WIL- LOUGHBY, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, and a resident of l2 Mosley street,Manchester, county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Cycles, (for which Ihave tiled application forBritish Patent No. 12,805, dated .I une 24, 1901;) and'I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My said invention relates to improvements in the propelling mechanism ofvelocipedes.

Although for purpose of illustration it is only shown in its applicationto a rear-driven bicycle, it is to be understood that with suitablemodifications it is also applicable to other types of such vehicles.`

The main feature of my invention liesin the combination, with what isknown as a free wheel or clutch or `clutches-that is, a clutch whichonly operates when power is applied, so as to drive in a forwarddirectionof levers or cranks each of which only makes a reciprocating oroscillating angular motion through a -part of a circle and returnsautomatically in the reverse direction. The extreme range of movement ofthe oscillating cranks-that is, their maximum stroke-is limited by stopsfixed so as to give any desired maximum stroke. The rider may, however,propel the vehicle by a succession of strokes each shorter than themaximum stroke. The amplitude of the strokes will depend on the speedand the other factors of the resistance to be overcome. On a smoothlevel road, for example, the cycle may be propelled by a rapidsuccession of mere vibratory motions of the feet, while on a heavy roador steep gradient the rider will utilize the full or nearly the fullstroke. Since I dispense with the necessity for the feet following thecranks through an entire revolution about the axes,I am enabled to usecranks of comparatively great length, and thus enable the driver toapply considerable force when great resistance has to be overcome. Theratio of the driving and driven chainwheels or other gears may beconsequently higher. The position and action ofthe cranks are alsobetter adapted and safer for ladies bicycles than is the case ofrevolving cranks.

The said invention has particularly for its object to provide sidesupport for the long cranks, and thus prevent their lateraldeflecing-shaft, having at one end an enlargement' or disk 18, to whicha chain-wheel 5 is screwed, the said wheel serving to transmit' motionto the running-gear. outward-facing flanges 4 at its ends, each of saidanges being provided lwith a circular series of recesses correspondingto similar recesses 4tL in the inner faces of the heads of the twocranks. The enlargement or. disk 18 aforesaid has its inner facesimilarly recessed to receive an outer series of the saidantifriction-balls 14, which likewise tit into corresponding recesses inthe outer face of the head 19 of crank 6a. The said disk also serves asan extra bracing-plate for crank 6a, preventing the loosening and thelateral outward bending of the same and keeping the chainwheel inalinement. Another bracing-plate 17, similarly arranged against theouter face of the head 19 of crank 6, is turned home on sore w-threadsof the proximate end of said shaft, which it is screw-tapped toit, andheld in place by a nut 17 `This plate is valso provided with a circularseries" of recessesv or races corresponding to another set in theexterior face of the said head `19 to receive another circular series ofantifriction-balls 14. The balls 14 of all four series are at equaldistances from the shaft 1 and lessen friction The bearing has annularlbetween the crank-heads and their bracing t parts.l The shaft 1 carriesat 7 and 7 the inner elements of free clutches, having clutchrollers 20,each lying in a Wedge-shaped recess and having a spring 20, as is usualin clutches, adapted to seize in one direction only. The innerperforations 19 of the crankheads 19 embrace the inner elements 7 and 7,so that as each crank 6 and 6a is alternately depressed it binds on theinner element 7 or 7, as the case may be, and turns the shaft 1 througha partial rotation; but such depression turns back the other crank byreason of the intermeshing gears 16 and 17, hereinafter described, toprecisely the saine eX- tent, making an additional means of return ofthe said crank quite needless. The inner elements 7 and 7a haveantifriction-balls 15 between them and adjacent surfaces.

The heads 19 have bevelgear teeth 16 formed on their peripheries,meshing with intervening connecting bevel-pinion 12a, turning on a shortshaft 12 and held in position by a washer 12b and nut 12C. Smallantifrictionballs 12 are also provided at the outer and inner faces ofthe said bevel-Wheel, being set into annular recesses or grooves of theproximate faces.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of a driving-shaft 1 carrying a chain-wheel 5 and theinner parts of free clutches 7 and 7n a bearing 3 reciprocating cranks 6and 6, the integral heads of which form internally the outer parts ofthe free clutches and have teeth on their peripheries, an interveningtooth-wheel 12:L gearing therewith, an adjustable clamp-plate 17 andannular ball-races and balls 14 on the faces of the hub of thechain-Wheel of the cranks of the bearng-bracket and of the clamp-platesubstantially as described and shown.

2. In a velocipede, a pair of cranks each having a gear-Wheel formedthereon, in combination with an intervening pinion meshing with thewheels aforesaid in order that the forward motion of one crank may turnback the other, a driving-shaft on which the said cranks are mounted, adisk or plate integral with said shaft and exterior to one of the saidcranks a plate held in similar position with respect to the other crank,and balls arranged in annular series between the free clutches, of whichthe inner elements 7 and 7iL are secured to the shaft 1 and of which thecrankheads are the outer members, and the said external plates bracingthe cranks against outward lateral defiection, also preserving thealinement of the chain-wheel, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANK STANLEY WILLOUGIIBY.

Witnesses:

JOHN HALL, ALFRED T. WHITELOW.`

